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THE LEE COUNTY JOURNAL
VOL. X.
Demanded a Public Apolozy frem
President Roosevelt.
IS SADLY DISAPPOINTED
Recent Sensational Ejectmeat of Wo
man from White House Again
in the Limelight.
A Washington special says: Dr.
Minor Morris, whose wife, some weeks
2go, was ejected from the white house,
where she had gone to present ai
leged grievances to the president, gave
out for publication Wednesday the cor
respondence which recently passed be
iween himseli and the president re
garding the case.
Dr. Morris demanded a public apol
ogy of the president “for this outrage
on womanhood and common decency.”
Secretary Loeb replied to the letter,
stating that an investigation by the
chief of police shewed that the arrest
was justified and that the kindest act
to Mrs. Moris and her kimsfolk was
to refrain frem giving the case addi
tional publicity. The letters follow:
“To the President of the United
States—Bir: Having walted patiently
a number of weeks that you might
have ample tlme to ascertain all the
circumstances connected with the in
sult recently offered my wife at the
white house and that you might make
some expression of deprecation, which
would paturally be expected, it is now
incumbent on me as husband and cit
izen to demand a public apology for
this ontrage on womanhood and com
mon decency.
“It is unthinkable that such bru
‘tality would be tolerated anywhere in
this country, but above all in the
white house.
“That my wife has been confined to
her bed for six weeks from the shock
and injuries of this damnable treat
ment is bad enough, but I can say to
you in all calmness that had the orie
inal orders from the white house been
carried out as to her longer incarce
ration, her life would have been sac
rificed.
“It ig therefore incumbent on me
{0 repeat my urgent request that you
take action at once suitable to the
circumstances which have shocked
the entire nation. Respectfully,
“MINOR MORRIS.
“February 16, 1906.”
The President’s Letter,
«The White House, Washington,
Fobruary 19, 1906.—8ir: In reply to
your letter of the 16th instant the
president directs me to say to you
that he had the superintendent of po
lice of the District .of Columbia, Ma~
jor Sylvester, make a careful inves
tigation of the circumsatances connect
ed with the arrest of Mrs. Morris for
disorderly conduct at the executive
office and the superintendent submit
‘ted to the president all the affidavits
of the persons whom he had examined.
The president carefully went over Ma
jor Sylvester’s report and the affida
vits and also personally saw M-njor
:Sylvester and some of the persons
‘making the afidavits. He came to the
.conclusion that the arrest was justl
-fied and that the force used in making
-the arrest was caused by the resist
.ance offered by Mrs. Morris to the
.officers in the discharge of their duty,
.and was no greater than was neces
:sary to make the arrest effective.
“Under these circumstances the
president does not consider that the
.officers are properly subject to blame.
He was also satisfled that the kindest
-thing that could be done to Mrs. Mor
ris and her kinsfolk was to refrain
«from giving any additional publicity
-to the circumstances gsurrounding the
.case. Yours truly,
“WILLIAM LOEB, JR,
“Secretary to the President.”
More Money for Brunswick Lightship.
'The house committee on interstate
.and foreign cothmerce has made a fa
vorable report on the Adamson bill in
_creasing from $90,000 to $130,000 the
.appropriation for a light ship at
Brunswick, Ga.
MOB AFTER VANDERBILT.
Ran Over Boy While Speeding Auto in
Italian Townand is Attacked
by Dagoes.
A dispatch from Florence, Italy,
says: W. K. Vanderbilt is detained at
Poilnt Edera, on the road to Pisa,
having had an automobile accident
in the street by which a boy was
injured. The boy was not seriously
hurt. The incident involved the de
tention both of Mr. and Mrs. W. K.
Vaaderbilt, Jr.,, and their chauffeur,
and turns cut to have been much more
serious than at first reported.
Mr. Vanderbilt and his chauffeur
were mobbed, and the former drew
a revolver and both Mr. Vanderbilt
and the chauffeur were arrested and
taken to the police station. Mrs. Van
derbilt was escorted to a hotel.
In the midst of the excitement it
was reported that the child was deald
and the townspeople became 50 en
raged that they attacked the chauf
feur.
In fact, matters reached a very crit
ical stage, and Mr. Vanderbilt, be
lieving that the lives of the party
were in danger, drew a revolver.
Before he could use the weapon,
however, several men jumped into
the automobile, disarmed Mr. Vander
pilt and kicked and cuffed him.
Kventually an officer of gendarmes
with reinforcements arrived on the
scene and after the townspeople hail
somewhat calmed down, succeeded in
rescuing the autoists, who were taken
to the police station, followed by a
crowd of shouting people.
The leaders protested vigorously
against the alleged carelessness of
the automobilists, and said that it
was time to put a stop to such incl
dents, involving the loss of life, which
were constantly increasinug in num
bers.
KNELL OF DEATH FOR TWO RAPISTS.
One Cremated by Mob and Another Sen=
tenced to Die by Court in Louisiana.
A mob of 300 men shot to death
Wiltz Page, a negro, aged 30 years,
and afterwards burred the body near
the town of Bienviile, in Bignville
parish, Louisiana, Saturday afternoon.
The negro was captured during Fri
day night, suspected of being the one
who attempted a criminal assault on
Sarah ‘Gant, the 11-year-old school
girl, Friday afternoon.
Page was identified by the girl, and
when a deputy sheriff started to jail
with him, a mob overpowered the offi
cer and took the negro. He was taken
to the scene of his crime, where he
made a full confession. The mob then
stood him up against a tree and shot
him to death, riddling his body with
bullets. More than 500 shots wera
fired. After the shooting, a fire was
kindled around the body of the negro,
and the mob remained until it had
been cremated.
A military company ordered by Gov
ernor Blanchard from Homer, La,,
reached the scene of the lynching.
When they arrived, the mob had dis
persed, and quiet was restored.
Charles Coleman, the negro charged
with having assaulted and murdered
Miss Margaret Lear, was convicted in
court at Shreveport Saturday, after a
trial lasting three hours. Governor
Blanchard, who attended the trial,
signed the death sentence. Thursday
between the hours of 9 a. m. and 2
p. m. was fixed as the time of exeeu
tion.
A jury was secured in the case with
in a comparatively short time,
The evidence introduced was conclu
sive, and a verdict was returned three
minutes after the case was given to
the jury, and Judge T. J. Bell, who
presided, immediately passed the
death sentence on the negro.
Four military companies were on
gnard about the court house during
the trial, and every person who at
tended was searched as he approach
ed the building. There was no dem
onstration, and, while feeling is still
intenge, it 13 believed the law wil
be allecwed to take its course.
The military will remain until af
ter the execution.
LEESBURG. GA. FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1906.
MIZNER MISSED
YERKES' CASH
Married Widow for Purpose of
Raiding Hes Millions.
SENSATIONAL SEPARATION
Fortune Hunter Became Impatient, De
manded a Settlement of HMillion,
and ““Got it in the Neck.”
A New York special sa.yé: The real
cause of the separation of Wilson Miz
ner and the former widow of Charles
T. Yerkes, together with the true story
of the sensational wedding less than
a month after the tracticn ‘magnate’s
death, has been disclosed for the first
time by a person who was present at
the murriage ceremony. ‘l'he revela.
tions are amazing.
For fourteen monthg prior to his
nuptials, it appears, young Mizner had
keen a constant visitor to the Yerkes
mansion, remaining each day from
luncheon until almost midnight. From
the moment follawing his presentation
to Mrs. Yerkes, just after his arrival
from California, by “Ned” Greenway,
of San Francisco, he cultivated the
friendship of the woman assiduously.
He proposed within a week after the
~death of her husband and asked her
to be wedded then and there. She
was startled by the proposition, and
although he had won her heart by
his kindness and attention in her hour
of trouble, she positively declined to
defy the conventlonalities of society
to that extent. Day after day thence
~forth, it is said, he impcrtuned her.
- Bhe showed no sign of yielding, He
became fearful that she would slip
from his grasp, so, after about one
- month had elapsed, he determined to
§ risk all in a final attempt.
{ Rushing into the house one after
- noon in an excited manner, he threai
ened, it is said, that he would not
‘ leave the mansion until she became
i his bride.
. “But Tam not ready to marry you,”
answered the widow. “I haven't any
thing to be married in.”
.~ “Wear that dress you wore the
right I first met you,” replied Miz
rer.
The unsuspecting widow, never for
a moment dreaming that the young
man was anything but noble and sin
cere, yielded. Mizner dashed from
the house in search of a clergyman
and witnesses. Within three hours all
was in readiness for the ceremony,
and the young Lochinvar had talken
to wife, and had sworn to love, honoy
and cherish till death the widow of
the traction king.
By those who had advized him to
marry the heiress, it had been con
templated that young Mizner would
seek control of the Yerkes estate by
acting as the representative of his
wife. It had been discovered by his
friends, it is said, that the Yerkes
estate was not a ten million dollar or
a fitteen million dollar estate, as esti
mated by the lawyers, but that its ac
tual value was nearer saventy mil
lions. With Mizner practically the ex
ecutor under the will, it is believed
that the missing $50,000,000 or $6O,
000,000 could be found and that in the
saving of it all would benefit mate
rially.
Leaping from bed one afternoon, ha
determined to bring matters to a cli
max then and there. Entering his
wife’s room, it is alleged, he demand
ed a settlement of a mildion dollars.
The bride refused his demand. He
flew into a towering passion, and, it
is said, made all sorts of threats. The
maid, it is alleged, intervened, and
she in turn was threatened.
The scene hecame fearful. The
bride convinced at last that the man
who had teld her repeatedly he want
ed her and did not care a rap for her
money, was a fortune hunter, ordered
him from the house. Realizing that
he had plaved his last trump, he left,
speaking gruffly to the servants as he
gswwne through the front doors out
into Fifth avenue and on to the Penn
sylvania station, wherz he took a
train for Washington.
HOLIDAY VOTED DOWN.
House Refused to Homor Memory of
George Washington and Speat
Dly in Randem Talxk.
The house of representatives re
fused to adjourn in celebration of
Washington’s birthday and its mem
bers participated in a general field
day of debate on the army appropri
atior. bill.
The speeches took a wide range,
rirst, the system of promoting and
retiring army officers was attacked
by Mr. Prince of Illinois, who elicted
many Interjected comments from
mcmbers in disapproval of the ineth
ods for which he sald the president
and senate were responsible, and
which, he pointed out, has resulted
in a retired list, costing yearly $2,700,-
000, consisting of officers who, he sald,
were holding the flag with one hand
whils the other was in the treasury
for mnoney that had never been earned.
An exhaustive discussion of ship
subsidy was made by Mr. Gilbert of
Kentucky, who declared the American
merchant marine is now the finest of
any ndtiom, and inciluded the 136 Mor
gan ships under the DBritish and Ger
man flags. In case of war, he said,
their only protection would be the
United States, wherein belonged their
owners and the capital invested.
Mr. Clark of Florida made a
speech against the house organization
and was replied to by Mr. Grosve
nor of Ohio. Mr. Clark dwelt at length
on the merits of his bill, which pro
nibits internal revenue ofiicers from
receiving special taxes and granting
Hyuor licenses in prohibition or lo
cnl option sections.
IHustrating the necessity of the
measure, he sald that in prohibition
Maine in 1904, 640 federal liquor 1
censes wore issued, in 1908, 3,024
were igsued in Kansas, also a prohi
bition state, and that in Cecnneclcut,
not prohlbition, In 1905, 3,269 federal
Hecenses were issued, while the state
licenses numbered 2,191,
Mr. Clark’s criticism of the rules
was the subject of reply by Grosvenor,
who cited the record to show that
there had been more debate so far this
session of congress than ever befors,
an@ contrasted it with a session of
congress controlled by the democrats,
when, he pointed out, a bill repeal
ing the resumption act and making
paper money equal to gold; a bill for
the free coinage of silver and an ap
propriation act carrying $19,000,000
were all passed without a single word
of dobate.
Mr. Clark interrupted to state that
ten days of debate at the present scs
sion was on a bill unanimously re
ported and favored by both political
parties, and oz which no debate was
necessary.
“(), yes,” replied Mr. Grosvenor,
“members thought debate very nec
essary for their constituents. I made
one specch myself, but I don’t think
it did a particle of good. (Laughter.)
«y am exceedingly sorry that it did
rot avail in the gentleman’s case,”
replied Mr. Clark, amid applause.
I'he day concluded with a lively dis
cussion of the Payne customs house
bill.
HEAYY FiRE IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Big Power Plant Burned Causing Loss of
Neeriy a Million Dollors.
A fire Thursday in the central sta
tion of the San Francisco Gas and
Electric company caused a loss estl
mated at nearly a million dollars, be
siges crippling many commercial and
manufacturing establisbments. All of
the evening papers were without pow
er, and after a long delay succeeded
in securing power from neaiby plaats
TYOO BAD PRISONERS GAIN LIBERIY.
Broke Jail at Greensboro, Ala., By Picking
Locks to Lher Ceils,
James Coleman, under sentence of
death for raurder, and Jesse liaryis,
chargoed with murder, escaped {rom
jail at Greensboro, Ala., Thursday
night by picking locks of their cells
and digging through walls,
NO. 36.
A GREAT COUP
Secure Control of Hepburn Rate
_ Bill in the Senate.
TILLMAN TO BE LEADER
Work Was Done by Democratic Votes
at HMeeting of laterstate Com
merce Committee.
A Washington specigl says: By tak
ing advantage just at the right time
of the opportunity presented to them
Friday, the democrats of the senate
interstate commerce committee not
only succeeded in forcing a favorable
report upon the Hepburn bill just as
it came from the house, but succeed
ed in getting possession of the bili;
which has been much touted as the
odministration measure.
The net result ¢f the day’s action,
studied from a strategical standpoint,
is that all the credit for taking this
advance toward securing adequate
legislation must go to the democrats.
Ihus, in the great fight to come over
the rate question in the senate, the
democrats have all the advantage of
position,
The bill will be in the hands of
Senator Tillman, senior democrat upon
the commitiee, and under his leadec
ship the democrats will see to it that
rothing is permitted to stand in the
way of the enactment of an adequate
rate law. %
After the committee had adjourned
Senator Tillman held a levee in hi®
committee room. There were present
several democratic senators to con
gratulate him upon the practical vie
tory secured by the party in getting
control of the rate bill, and there
were also present several newspaper
men.
When reference was made to pos
sible conferences between him and
the president of the United States
upon whom he loses no opportunity
‘to empty the vials of his wrath, Seun
ator Tillman said:
“Well, it is a rather unexpected
and ridiculous situation, but if any
one has an idea that I am going to
make a farce of it, with myself as
the clown, they are badly mistaken.
Those who imagine I am not going to
figbt for an effective railroad bill are
way off their base. I do not see why
my selection as the member to have .
charge of the measure should go to
wards allaying the feeling throughout
the country in regard to railroad mat
ter. I am certainly not going to lend
myself to any scheme of gidetracking
or undermining the efforts to get cor
rective legislation.
“The senate should be relieved of
white house dictation, and we shoulad
be at liberty to do our duty in ac
cordance with our oaths of office, and
our duty to our states and constit
uents under the constitution. In all
geriousness, I am not going to put
myself in any position or allow any
thing to happen to sidetrack the ef
fort to get a gocd law. My frankness
and reputation, I think, will preclude
the possibility of suspicion that I am
in this bill as a joker.
“This is a democratic proposition,
and the president lent his great in
fluence to it. I hope that he will
continue to do so. The democrats in
the house supported the bill unani
mously, and I believe the democrats
in the senate will do likewise. I
hope there will be enough patriots on
the republican side to help pass it.”
FOUND NO POISON IN STOMACH.
Tucker Exonerated of Saspicion That He
Murderad His Wile. -
Drs. Harris and Daniel, who con
ducted the post mortem examination
at Moultrie, Ga., in the case of K. W.
Tucker, have reported that they found
no poison in the stomach,
It was allezed that she had been
noisoned by her husband to secure
iife insurance, and under this charge
Tucker has been in jail. He was re
leased on an order from the solicitor
general. ,